Bandleader Fredrick Lange — a graduate of the UC Davis music department in the 1970s, and the longtime leader of the band program at Davis High School — will be honored during the annual “Festivity of Bands” concert at 7 p.m. Wednesday. The concert is in Jackson Hall at the Mondavi Center.

It will bring together the UC Davis Concert Band, directed by Pete Nowlen; the UC Davis Campus Band, directed by Tom Slabaugh; the Sacramento State Symphony Wind Ensemble, directed by Robert Halseth; and the Davis High School Symphonic Band, directed by Lange.

Lange came to UCD in the 1970s to pursue a math degree, but found himself spending more and more time in the music department. A trumpet player during high school, he eventually became a music major, completing an undergraduate degree and then a master’s degree, and winning a music department award as an outstanding student.

After graduation, Lange served at various times as director of the Cal Aggie Marching Band-uh and the UC Davis Jazz Band. He is most familiar to the community for his nearly 30 years as director of the band program at Davis High School.

Lange also has taught at Woodland Christian School and Holy Rosary School in Woodland and at several elementary schools in the Davis school district. For many years he was also associated with the Davis Comic Opera Company, and served as music director of multiple productions with that group.

He has also been active as a jazz director with the Davis Youth Flute Choir.

Lange has received multiple honors along the way, including the city of Davis’ Brinley Award for outstanding service in 1990, the Harmony In Our Lives award for contributions to music in 1991, an award from the California Music Educators in 1995, an Elly Award for musical direction of a DCOC production in 1995, and an award for outstanding contributions to high school music education at the Jammies event at the Mondavi Center in 2004.

Over the years, Lange has encouraged countless music students, several of whom have gone on to careers in music. When trumpeter Mark Inouye became the principal trumpet of the San Francisco Symphony several years ago, Inouye fondly recalled playing under Lange’s direction in school bands.

Under Lange’s leadership, the band program at Davis High has grown to include hundreds of students who participate in the Symphonic Band, the Concert Band and the Jazz Band, as well as a student-led Pep Band.

During Wednesday’s “Festivity of Bands” concert at the Mondavi Center, Lange will conduct the Davis High School Symphonic Band in a performance of Robert W. Smith’s Symphony No. 3 (“Don Quixote”), which includes movements titled “The Quest,” “Dulcinea” (to feature guest cellist Julie Hochman of Davis), “Sancho and The Windmills” and “Illumination.”

Lange plans to retire at the end of the school year. The Davis High School Band Boosters will honor him at a reception on May 7, following a concert that evening by the DHS Symphonic Band at Davis High.

Tickets for Wednesday’s 7 p.m. concert are $12 general and $8 for students, available at www.mondaviarts.org or (530) 754-2787.